Art of the Skateboard (U.S. 2023)

Posted on December 13, 2022 by VSC

This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

The bold artwork on a skateboard deck is often as eye-catching and individualistic as a skater’s most breathtaking moves. These four stamps celebrate the Art of the Skateboard with vibrant designs that capture skateboarding’s excitement. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp issuance using photographs of skateboards created by artist Crystal Worl, an Alaskan whose blue and indigo salmon formline design expresses her Tlingit/Athabascan heritage; self-taught artist William James Taylor Jr. of Virginia, who created an energetic red and orange graphic abstraction; Di’Orr Greenwood of Arizona who represents her Navajo culture with a turquoise-inlaid skateboard that features eagle feathers and colors of the rising or setting sun and Colombian-born, Washington, DC-raised muralist MazPaz (Federico Frum), who painted a stylized jaguar.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated May 1^st:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:

5763 Tlingit Athabascan Salmon Design by Crystal Worl
a. Imperforate
5764 Abstract Design by William James Taylor
a. Imperforate
5765 Navajo Design by Di’Orr Greenwood
a. Imperforate
5766 Jaguar Design by MasPaz (Frederico Frum)
a. Imperforate
b. Horiz. or vert. strip of 4, #5763-5766
c. Imperforate horiz. or vert. strip of 4, #5763a-5766a

Updated February 23^rd:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.61″ x 1.50″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.36″ x 1.22″

From the Postal Bulletin:
On March 24, 2023, in Phoenix, AZ, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Art of the Skateboard stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 483400). These stamps will go on sale nationwide March 24, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Art of the Skateboard commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

With four new stamps, the Postal Service celebrates the “Art of the Skateboard.” The bold designs featured on the pane of 20 stamps capture the excitement of skateboarding and reflect the diverse creators of these artistic decks:

A blue and indigo salmon design expresses one artist’s Tlingit/Athabascan heritage.
A striking red and orange graphic abstraction by a self-taught Virginia artist energizes another skateboard.
Another represents Navajo culture, featuring a turquoise-inlaid skateboard that displays eagle feathers and the colors of the rising or setting sun.
A design featuring a stylized jaguar painted in black, white, and gold is by a Colombian-born, Washington, DC-raised muralist.

Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp issuance, using photographs of skateboards created for these stamps by, respectively, Crystal Worl, William James Taylor Junior, Di’Orr Greenwood, and MasPaz (Frederico Frum).

Item 483400, Pane of 20: No automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at store.usps.com/store/home. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Art of the Skateboard Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by July 24, 2023.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Art of the Skateboard Stamps
Item Number: 483400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (4 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 24, 2023, Phoenix, AZ 85026
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Crystal Worl
Artist: William James Taylor Junior
Artist: Di’Orr Greenwood
Artist: MasPaz (Frederico Frum)
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 18,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Cool Gray 5C, Pantone 7688C, Pantone 172C, Pantone 715C, Pantone 7684C
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 0.84 in / 36.068 x 21.336 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 0.98 in / 39.624 x 24.892 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 5.92 in / 183.896 x 150.368 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.72 x 11.84 in./ 551.688 x 300.736 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by nine (9) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners of the pane
Back: ©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (483400) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated February 7^th as predicted here a month ago:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Skateboard Stamps To Debut at PHXAM 2023

What: The U.S. Postal Service will hold a dedication ceremony for four new stamps celebrating the Art of the Skateboard at Cowtown’s 21st annual Phoenix Am contest.

The first-day-of-issue event is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #ArtoftheSkateboardStamps.

Who: The Honorable William Zollars, member, USPS Board of Governors

When: Friday, March 24, 2023, at 11 a.m. MST

Where: Desert West Skate Plaza
6602 W. Encanto Blvd.
Phoenix, AZ 85035

RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to rsvp at: usps.com/artoftheskateboard.

Background: Fiercely independent and often rebellious, the skateboarding subculture crackles with raw creative energy. The bold artwork emblazoned on a skateboard deck is often as eye-catching and individualistic as a skater’s most breathtaking moves.

These four stamps celebrate the Art of the Skateboard with vibrant designs that capture skateboarding’s excitement and reflect the diversity and influences of the four artists whose work is featured:

Crystal Worl, an Alaskan artist used a blue and indigo salmon formline design to express her Tlingit/Athabascan heritage.

William James Taylor Jr, a self-taught Virginia artist created an energetic red and orange graphic abstraction.

Federico “MasPaz” Frum, a Colombian-born, Washington, D.C.-raised muralist painted a stylized jaguar.

Di’Orr Greenwood, of Arizona represented her Navajo culture with a turquoise-inlaid skateboard that features eagle feathers and colors of the rising or setting sun.

Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp issuance, using photographs of skateboards created for these stamps.

The Art of the Skateboard stamps are denominated as Forever stamps and will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated January 10^th:
These stamps will be issued Friday, March 24, in Phoenix. The “welcome” events for PHXAM (some sort of skateboard competition) begin on that date at the Desert West Skateboard Plaza. The PHXAM website never actually tells what the event is or what the acronyms stand for.

John Lewis (U.S. 2023)

Posted on December 13, 2022 by VSC

This issue was announced by the USPS on December 13^th:

This stamp celebrates the life and legacy of civil rights leader and U.S. Rep. John Lewis (1940-2020) of Georgia. Devoted to equality and justice for all Americans, Lewis spent more than 30 years in Congress steadfastly defending and building on key civil rights gains that he had helped achieve in the 1960s. Even in the face of hatred and violence, as well as some 45 arrests, Lewis remained resolute in his commitment to what he liked to call “good trouble.” The stamp features a photograph of Lewis taken by Marco Grob on assignment for the Aug. 26, 2013, issue of Time magazine. The selvage showcases a photograph of Lewis taken by Steve Schapiro in 1963 outside a workshop about nonviolent protest in Clarksdale, MS. Derry Noyes served as art director for this project.

We will post additional information as we get it below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated September 5^th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5801.

Updated June 22^nd:
[press advisory] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Postal Service Honors Congressman John Lewis on New Forever Stamp

What: The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the life and legacy of Congressman, John Lewis (1940-2020), a key figure in some of the most pivotal moments of the Civil Rights Movement.

The first-day-of-issue event for the John Lewis Forever stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #JohnLewisStamp.

Who: The Honorable Ronald A. Stroman, governor, U.S. Postal Service

When: Friday, July 21, 2023, at noon EDT

Where:
Morehouse College
Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel
830 Westview Drive SW
Atlanta, GA 30314

RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to rsvp at: usps.com/johnlewis

Background: The stamp features a photograph of Lewis taken by Marco Grob on assignment for the Aug. 26, 2013, issue of Time magazine. Lewis’s name is at the bottom of the stamp. The words “USA” and “Forever” appear in the stamp’s top left corner. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp.

Devoted to equality and justice for all Americans, Lewis spent more than 30 years in Congress steadfastly defending and building on key civil rights gains that he helped achieve in the 1960s. Lewis was a staunch and unwavering believer in and advocate for nonviolent protests. The recipient of more than 50 honorary degrees, he was called a “saint” by Time magazine and “the conscience of the Congress,” by his colleagues.

Lewis was the face of the Nashville Student Movement, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, an original Freedom Rider, and one of the keynote speakers at the 1963 March on Washington. He served as executive director of the Voter Education Project; as associate director of ACTION, the federal volunteer agency that oversaw the Peace Corps and VISTA; and as a member of the Atlanta City Council. He was also the best-selling author of several books, including the March comic book series and the inspiring autobiography, Walking With the Wind.

Elected to represent Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986, Lewis garnered the support needed to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1991, sponsored the legislation that created the 54-mile-long Selma-to-Montgomery National Historic Trail, and worked for more than a decade to establish the National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama.

Throughout his life, Lewis remained resolute in his commitment to what he liked to call “good trouble,” even in the face of hatred and violence.

Updated June 15^th:
From the Postal Bulletin:

On July 21, 2023, in Atlanta, GA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the John Lewis stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 15 stamps (Item 483200). This stamp will go on sale nationwide July 21, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

With this stamp, the Postal Service™ celebrates the life and legacy of civil rights leader and congressman John Lewis (1940–2020). Devoted to equality and justice for all Americans, Lewis spent more than 30 years in Congress steadfastly defending and building on key civil rights gains that he had helped achieve in the 1960s. The stamp features a photograph of Lewis taken by Marco Grob on assignment for the August 26, 2013, issue of Time magazine. The selvage showcases a photograph of Lewis taken by Steve Schapiro in 1963 outside a workshop about non-violent protest in Clarksdale, MS. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp and selvage.

No automatic distribution.

FDOI – John Lewis Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications:

Issue:-John Lewis Stamp
Item Number:-483200
Denomination & Type of Issue:-First-Class Mail Forever
Format:-Pane of 15 (1 design)
Series:-N/A
Issue Date & City:-July 21, 2023, Atlanta, GA 30304
Art Director:-Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer:-Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Photo (stamp):-Marco Grob
Existing Photo (selvage):-Steve Schapiro
Modeler:-Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process:-Offset, Microprint
Printer:-Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type:-Muller A76
Stamps per Pane:-15
Print Quantity:-30,000,000 stamps
Paper Type:-Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type:-Pressure-sensitive
Colors:-Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Pantone 7543C
Stamp Orientation:-Vertical
Image Area (w x h):-0.84 x 1.42 in. / 21.336 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h):-0.98 x 1.56 in. / 24.892 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h):-6.50 x 8.45 in. / 165.10 x 214.63 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h):-19.50 x 25.725 in. / 495.30 x 653.415 mm
Plate Size:-135 stamps per revolution
Plate Number:-“P” followed by five (5) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front:-Header: John Lewis 1940-2020 • Plate number in bottom 2 corners
Back:-©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (483200) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.67″ x 1.25″ The pictorial postmark measures 2.13″ x 1.22″

Updated March 14^th:
The issue date is July 21st in Atlanta, GA.

U.S. Adds 7 Issues for 2023

Posted on December 13, 2022 by VSC

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service Reveals Additional Stamps for 2023
Civil Rights Leader John Lewis, Art of the Skateboard and Florida Everglades Are Featured

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service announced seven new stamp subjects for 2023.

This group, along with the stamps announced in October, is a partial list, with more to be revealed in the weeks and months ahead. All stamp designs are preliminary and subject to change.

John Lewis
This stamp celebrates the life and legacy of civil rights leader and U.S. Rep. John Lewis (1940-2020) of Georgia. Devoted to equality and justice for all Americans, Lewis spent more than 30 years in Congress steadfastly defending and building on key civil rights gains that he had helped achieve in the 1960s. Even in the face of hatred and violence, as well as some 45 arrests, Lewis remained resolute in his commitment to what he liked to call “good trouble.” The stamp features a photograph of Lewis taken by Marco Grob on assignment for the Aug. 26, 2013, issue of Time magazine. The selvage showcases a photograph of Lewis taken by Steve Schapiro in 1963 outside a workshop about nonviolent protest in Clarksdale, MS. Derry Noyes served as art director for this project.

Art of the SkateboardThe bold artwork on a skateboard deck is often as eye-catching and individualistic as a skater’s most breathtaking moves. These four stamps celebrate the Art of the Skateboard with vibrant designs that capture skateboarding’s excitement. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp issuance using photographs of skateboards created by artist Crystal Worl, an Alaskan whose blue and indigo salmon formline design expresses her Tlingit/Athabascan heritage; self-taught artist William James Taylor Jr. of Virginia, who created an energetic red and orange graphic abstraction; Di’Orr Greenwood of Arizona who represents her Navajo culture with a turquoise-inlaid skateboard that features eagle feathers and colors of the rising or setting sun and Colombian-born, Washington, DC-raised muralist MazPaz (Federico Frum), who painted a stylized jaguar.

Florida Everglades (Priority Mail)
Spanning some 2 million acres in southern Florida, from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay, the Everglades is one of the largest wetlands in the world and the most significant breeding ground for tropical wading birds in North America. This new Priority Mail stamp celebrates the Florida Everglades with stamp art that shows a sawgrass marsh as seen at sunset from the edge of a cypress dome. Designed by art director Greg Breeding, the stamp showcases a digital illustration by Dan Cosgrove. The Florida Everglades Priority Mail stamp will be issued in Homestead, FL, on Jan. 22 without a ceremony.

Tomie dePaola
This stamp honors prolific children’s book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola (1934-2020), whose extraordinarily varied body of work encompasses folktales and legends, informational books, religious and holiday stories, and touching autobiographical tales. The stamp art features a detail from the cover of “Strega Nona” (1975), the Caldecott Honor winning first book in the series. Set in southern Italy, the gently humorous story focuses on Strega Nona, “Grandma Witch,” who uses magic to help with matters of the heart and to cure her neighbors’ ills. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp with Tomie dePaola’s original art.

Northern Cardinal (Stamped Envelope)
The Northern Cardinal stamped envelope showcases one of the most beloved and popular songbirds native to North America. The art features a male cardinal, immediately recognizable by its crimson-colored feathers and black facial markings. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamped envelope with Kandis Vermeer Phillips’s highly realistic illustration.

Bridges (Presorted First-Class Mail)
Four new Presorted First-Class Mail stamps will be available for purchase by bulk mail users in coils of 3,000 and 10,000. The stamps feature existing photographs of four different bridges that range from modern to historic, pedestrian to car-carrying, but all are important landmarks in their communities. They are the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown, CT; the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge in Omaha, NE; the Skydance Bridge in Oklahoma City; and the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge in Bettendorf, IA, and Moline, IL. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs.

Life Magnified
These stamps reveal life on Earth like many have never seen it. Twenty stamps feature 20 different images taken with microscopes and highly specialized photographic techniques that capture details of life undetectable by the human eye. The images show the phenomena of life in exquisitely fine detail. While stunning on their own as works of art, these images also hold scientific significance. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps using existing photographs.

Postal Products
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide.

Least Necessary 2023 U.S. Stamp? (Poll)

Posted on October 25, 2022 by VSC

Yes, completely snarky, because one person’s unnecessary stamp may be the highlight of another’s collection. And the U.S. Postal Service has to serve a population that is most diverse than that of most country’s. Still…

Patriotic Block (US 2023)

Posted on October 24, 2022 by VSC

Announced by the USPS on October 24, 2022.

Patriotic Block will be a new nondenominated, nonprofit-price stamp intended for bulk mailings by authorized nonprofit organizations and will be sold in self-adhesive coils of 3,000 and 10,000. This stamp displays the components of the American flag — the stars and stripes — arranged in a four-quadrant block on a white background. Carol Beehler designed the stamp with art direction by Antonio Alcalá.

New information will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated March 10, 2024:
Scott editors have added number 5756A for a version of this stamp with a larger year date, stars and bars than No. 5756.

Updated April 3^rd:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5756. Note that the Scott editors are calling it “Stars and Bars.”

Updated February 9^th:
Technical Specifications (Coil of 3,000):

Issue: Patriotic Block Stamp
Item Number: 751400
Denomination & Type of Issue: Nondenominated Nonprofit (5-cent value)
Format: Coil of 3,000 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 1, 2023, Liberty, NY 12754
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Carol Beehler
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Printer: American Packaging Corp. / Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Rotogravure Cerutti
Stamps per Coil: 3,000
Print Quantity: 30,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Pantone 1795C, Pantone 7687C, Pantone Cool Gray 7C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in / 18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in / 22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 500 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by three (3) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 25th stamp below stamp image

Technical Specifications (Coil of 10,000):

Issue: Patriotic Block Stamp
Item Number: 761600
Denomination & Type of Issue: Nondenominated Nonprofit (5-cent value)
Format: Coil of 10,000 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 1, 2023, Liberty, NY 12754
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Carol Beehler
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Printer: American Packaging Corp. / Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Rotogravure Cerutti
Stamps per Coil: 10,000
Print Quantity: 1,000,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Pantone 1795C, Pantone 7687C, Pantone Cool Gray 7C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in / 18.542 x 21.336 mm
Stamp Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in / 22.098 x 24.892 mm
Plate Size: 500 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by three (3) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate number every 25th stamp below stamp image

Updated January 28^th:
On March 1, 2023, in Liberty, NY, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Patriotic Block stamp (non-denominated, priced at the Nonprofit Organization rate of 5 cents) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coil of 3,000 stamps (Item 751400) and a PSA coil of 10,000 stamps (Item 761600). This stamp will go on sale nationwide March 1, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

In 2023, the Postal Service™ will issue Patriotic Block, a new nondenominated, nonprofit-price stamp intended for bulk mailings by authorized nonprofit organizations and sold in self-adhesive coils of 3,000 and 10,000. The graphic stamp design features the components of the American flag arranged in a four-quadrant block. Two identical quadrants at the top left and bottom right contain a white star on a blue background; the other two quadrants each hold three red stripes, which run vertically in the top right block and horizontally in the bottom left. Carol Beehler designed the stamp with art direction by Antonio Alcalá.

Item 751400 Coil of 3,000 Stamps
Item 761600 Coil of 10,000 Stamps

No automatic distribution of either.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. Each cover must have sufficient postage to meet First-Class Mail® requirements. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at store.usps.com/store/home. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope address to:

FDOI – Patriotic Block Nonprofit Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications:

Not yet available

Updated January 10^th:
This stamp will be issued March 1 in Liberty, NY, with no headquarters ceremony.

School Bus (US 2023)

Posted on October 24, 2022 by VSC

Announced by the USPS on October 24, 2022.

School Bus will be a new additional-ounce stamp, available in panes of 20 and coils of 100. The issuance celebrates the iconic yellow school bus and its role in ensuring that millions of children get to school and home again every day. The stamp features a stylized illustration of a 21st century yellow school bus, in profile in front of a silhouetted schoolhouse that is more evocative of an earlier era. Artist Steve Wolf worked with art director Greg Breeding and stamp designer Mike Ryan.

New information will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated March 9^th:
The image size for the stamps in the coil of 100 was corrected. The revised information is incorporated in the table below.

Updated January 13^th:
I was surprised at how the coil version is set up: Vertically, but attached at the top and bottom of the design. Also note that the length/width ratio is different in the sheet and coil versions. (You can click on the picture on the right for a bigger version.)

Updated December 28^th:
The First Day Of Issue “killer bars” is the only postmark for this issue.

Updated December 5^th from the Postal Bulletin:
On January 5, 2023, in High Point, NC, the United States Postal Service® will issue the School Bus stamp (Non-denominated Additional Ounce Rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 (Item 122400) and coil of 100 (Item 740500). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 5, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

With the release of this new additional ounce stamp, the Postal Service™ celebrates the iconic yellow school bus and its role in ensuring that millions of children get to school and home again every day. The stamp features a stylized illustration of a 21st century yellow school bus, in profile, in front of a silhouetted schoolhouse that is more evocative of an earlier era. Artist Steve Wolf worked with art director Greg Breeding and designer Mike Ryan to create this stamp, which will be issued in panes of 20 and coils of 100.

Item 122400, School Bus, PSA Pane of 20 Stamps
Item 740500, School Bus, PSA Coil of 100 Stamps

No automatic distribution.

FDOI – School Bus Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications – Pane of 20:

Issue: School Bus Stamp
Item Number: 122400
Denomination & Type of Issue: Non-denominated Additional Ounce Rate
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 5, 2023, High Point, NC, 27260
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Mike Ryan, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Steve Wolf, Austin, TX
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 100,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Magenta, Yellow, Black, Pantone 9202, Pantone 4248, Pantone WM Gray 9
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.05 x 0.77 in./26.67 x 19.558 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.22 x 0.91 in./30.988 x 23.114 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.76 x 5.55 in./146.304 x 140.97 mm
Plate Size: 160 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners of pane
Back: ©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (122400) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text

Technical Specifications – Coil of 100:

Issue: School Bus Stamp
Item Number: 740500
Denomination & Type of Issue: Non-denominated Additional Ounce Rate
Format: Coil of 100 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 5, 2023, High Point, NC, 27260
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Mike Ryan, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Steve Wolf, Austin, TX
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Coil: 100
Print Quantity: 50,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Overall
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Magenta, Yellow, Black, Pantone 9202, Pantone 4248, Pantone WM Gray 9
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 0.73 in / 21.336 x 18.542 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 0.87 in./24.892 x 22.098 mm
Plate Size: 744 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by six (6) single digits
Coil Number Frequency: Plate numbers every 31st stamp below stamp image

Updated November 30^th:
This stamp will be issued Thursday, January 5, in High Point, NC, without a ceremony.

Women’s Soccer (US 2023)

Posted on October 24, 2022 by VSC

Announced by the USPS on October 24, 2022.

This stamp issuance celebrates women’s soccer in the United States. From youth leagues to the elite world champion U.S. national team, millions of girls and women throughout the country participate in this fast-paced, competitive sport. The graphic stamp artwork depicts a female soccer player in action, walloping a ball with a side volley. Conjuring the aesthetic of mid-century print design, the illustrator used simplified shapes and bold colors to convey the high energy and fast motion of the sport. The somewhat grainy rendering lends a timeless quality to the design, evoking not just a single all-star athlete or era but the entire legacy of women’s soccer. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with an original illustration by Noah MacMillan (1988-2022).

New information will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated April 3^rd:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5754.

Updated January 17^th:
[first-day ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Women’s Soccer Stamp To Kick Off at the SheBelieves Cup

What: The U.S. Postal Service will dedicate the Women’s Soccer commemorative Forever stamp at the SheBelieves Cup in Orlando, FL.

The stamp ceremony is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #WomensSoccerStamp.

Who: The Honorable Amber McReynolds, member, U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors

When: Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, at 11 a.m. EST

Where: Exploria Stadium
618 W. Pine Street
Orlando, FL 32805

RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/womenssoccer.

Background: This new Forever stamp celebrates women’s soccer in the United States. From youth leagues to the elite world champion U.S. National Team, millions of girls and women throughout the country participate in the fast-paced, competitive sport.

Soccer, also known as football internationally, is the most popular sport in the world, played by hundreds of millions of players in almost every country. In the United States, women’s soccer has gained a firm foothold in sports and popular culture. From youth leagues to the elite world champion U.S. National Team, millions of girls and women across the country participate in the fast-paced, competitive sport.

The stamp artwork depicts a female soccer player in action, striking a ball with a side volley. Conjuring the aesthetic of mid-century print design, illustrator Noah MacMillan (1988-2022) used simplified shapes and bold colors to convey the high energy and fast motion of the sport. The somewhat grainy rendering lends a timeless quality to the design, evoking not just a single all-star athlete or era, but the entire legacy of women’s soccer.

Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp.

From the Postal Bulletin:
On February 16, 2023, in Orlando, FL, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Women’s Soccer stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 483000). This stamp will go on sale nationwide February 16, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

No automatic distribution.

FDOI – Women’s Soccer Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Women’s Soccer Stamp
Item Number: 483000
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: February 16, 2023, Orlando, FL 32862
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Noah MacMillan (Deceased), Takoma Park, MD
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 20,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 0.84 in / 36.068 x 21.336 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 0.98 in / 39.624 x 24.892 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 5.92 in / 183.896 x 150.368 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.72 x 11.84 in./ 551.69 x 300.74 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners of the pane
Back: ©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (483000) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated January 13^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.67″ x 1.14″ The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.69″ x 1.23″

Updated January 10^th:
This stamp will be issued Wednesday, February 16, in Orlando, FL, when the U.S.Women’s National Team will play Canada in the “SHEBELIEVES” Cup.

Waterfalls (US 2023)

Posted on October 24, 2022 by VSC

Announced by the USPS on October 24, 2022.

Among nature’s most beautiful wonders, waterfalls come in all shapes and sizes, from serene cascades to mighty cataracts. The Postal Service celebrates the variety and beauty of American waterfalls with 12 new stamps. Each stamp features a photograph with the name of the waterfall and state in which it is located. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps and pane with existing photographs.

New information will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated (catching up) September 7^th:
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at store.usps.com/store/home. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Waterfall Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Waterfalls Stamps
Item Number: 580900
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 12 (12 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 13, 2023, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: Tim Fitzharris
Existing Photo: Kevin Schafer
Existing Photo: John Cancalosi
Existing Photo: Joe Miller
Existing Photos: David B. Vernon
Existing Photo: Sandra Woods
Existing Photo: Nicole Nugent
Existing Photo: Quang-Tuan Luong
Existing Photo: Kenneth Keifer
Modeler: Joe Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 12
Print Quantity: 34,992,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.225 x 1.56 in / 31.115 x 39.624 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.255 x 1.59 in / 31.877 x 40.386 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.8132 x 6.6257 in / 198.4552 x 168.2927 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 24.1896 x 20.6271 in / 614.4158 x 523.9283 mm
Plate Size: 108 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Waterfalls • Plate number in bottom 2 corners
Back: ©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (580900) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text

Updated August 7^th:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue: 5800 Waterfalls pane of 12
a. Deer Creek Falls, AZ
b. Nevada Fall, CA
c. Harrison Wright Falls, PA
d. Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, WY
e. Waimoku Falls, HI
f. Stewart Falls, UT
g. Niagara Falls, NY
h. Dark Hollow Falls, VA
i. Grotto Falls, TN
j. Sunbeam Falls, WA
k. LaSalle Canyon Waterfall, IL
l. Upper Falls, NC
m. As No. 5800, imperforate
n. As No. 5800a, imperforate
o. As No. 5800b, imperforate
p. As No. 5800c, imperforate
q. As No. 5800d, imperforate
r. As No. 5800e, imperforate
s. As No. 5800f, imperforate
t. As No. 5800g, imperforate
u. As No. 5800h, imperforate
v. As No. 5800i, imperforate
w. As No. 5800j, imperforate
x. As No. 5800k, imperforate
y. As No. 5800l, imperforate

Updated May 5^th:
[first day ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Postal Service To Issue Waterfall Stamps

What: The U.S. Postal Service is celebrating the variety and beauty of American waterfalls with 12 new stamps. Each stamp features a photograph with the name of the waterfall and state in which it is located beneath it.

The first-day-of-issue event for the Waterfalls Forever stamps is free and open to all visitors of Yellowstone National Park. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #WaterfallsStamps.

Who: Mike Elston, U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors secretary, will serve as the dedicating official

Cameron “Cam” Sholly, Yellowstone National Park superintendent

Kenneth Keifer, photographer of the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River stamp

When: Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at 11 a.m. MT

Where: Canyon Visitors Education Center
Yellowstone National Park, WY

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at: usps.com/waterfalls.

Background: Among nature’s most beautiful wonders, waterfalls come in all shapes and sizes, from serene cascades to mighty cataracts. The 12 waterfalls featured on the stamps represent many different types — and each is unique.

Waterfall IDs:First row: Deer Creek Falls, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ, photo by Sandra Woods; Nevada Fall, Yosemite National Park, CA, photo by Quang-Tuan Luong; Harrison Wright Falls, Ricketts Glen State Park, PA; and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, Yellowstone National Park, WY, photos by Kenneth Keifer.Second row: Waimoku Falls, Haleakalā National Park, HI, photo by Quang-Tuan Luong; Stewart Falls, Mount Timpanogos Wilderness, UT, photo by Nicole Nugent; Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls State Park, NY, photo by John Cancalosi; and Dark Hollow Falls, Shenandoah National Park, VA, photo by Quang-Tuan Luong.
Third row: Grotto Falls, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN, photo by Joe Miller; Sunbeam Falls, Mount Rainier National Park, WA, photo by Kevin Schafer; LaSalle Canyon Waterfall, Starved Rock State Park, Oglesby, IL, photo by David B. Vernon; and Upper Falls, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC, photo by Tim Fitzharris.

Framing the stamps is selvage that again features David B. Vernon’s LaSalle Canyon image.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps and pane with existing photographs.

Updated March 14^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.90″ x 1.49″ The pictorial postmark measures 2.32″ x 1.49″

Updated March 14^th:
The issue date is June 13th in Yellowstone National Park, WY. The fourth stamp (far right) on the top row is the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River.

Roy Lichtenstein (US 2023)

Posted on October 24, 2022 by VSC

Announced by the USPS on October 24, 2022.

The work of the iconic American artist of the pop art movement, Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) is celebrated with a stamp issuance in his honor. Each of the five stamps in this pane of 20 features one work of art by Lichtenstein: “Standing Explosion (Red)” (porcelain enamel on steel sculpture, 1965); “Modern Painting I” (oil and magna on canvas, 1966); “Still Life with Crystal Bowl” (oil and magna on canvas, 1972); “Still Life with Goldfish” (oil and magna on canvas, 1972); and “Portrait of a Woman” (oil and magna on linen, 1979). The selvage features a photograph of Lichtenstein by Bob Adelman with the artist’s face framed by a model of his 1983 sculpture Brushstrokes in Flight. Derry Noyes served as art director and designer for this issuance.

New information will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated June 6^th:
Here are the Scott catalogue numbers for this issue:
5792 Standing Explosion (Red), 1965
a. Imperforate
5793 Modern Painting I, 1966
a. Imperforate
5794 Still Life with Crystal Bowl, 1972
a. Imperforate
5795 Still Life with Goldfish, 1972
a. Imperforate
5796 Portrait of a Woman, 1979
a. Imperforate
b. Horiz. strip of 5, #5792-5796
c. Imperforate horiz. strip of 5, #5792a-5796a

Updated March 24^th from the Postal Bulletin:

On April 24, 2023, in New York, NY, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Roy Lichtenstein stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 483500). These stamps will go on sale nationwide April 24, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Roy Lichtenstein commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.With these stamps, the Postal Service™ honors Roy Lichtenstein (1923–1997), the iconic American artist of the pop art movement. Each of the five stamps in this pane of 20 features one work of art by Lichtenstein:

Standing Explosion (Red) (porcelain enamel on steel, 1965).
Modern Painting I (acrylic, oil, graphite pencil on canvas, 1966). [right]
Still Life with Crystal Bowl (acrylic, oil, graphite pencil on canvas, 1972).
Still Life with Goldfish (acrylic, oil, graphite pencil on canvas, 1972).
Portrait of a Woman (acrylic, oil, graphite pencil on canvas, 1979).

The selvage features a photograph by Bob Adelman of Lichtenstein, his face framed by a model of his 1983 sculpture, Brushstrokes in Flight. Derry Noyes served as art director and designer for this issuance.

No automatic distribution.

FDOI – Roy Lichtenstein Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Roy Lichtenstein Stamps
Item Number: 483500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (5 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: April 24, 2023, New York, NY 10199
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Roy Lichtenstein
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset / Flexographic
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 18,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Pantone 1805C, Pantone 2104C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.085 x 1.42 in / 27.559 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.225 x 1.56 in / 31.115 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 9.70 x 7.30 in / 246.38 x 185.42 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 19.40 x 14.60 in / 492.76 x 370.84 mm
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by six (6) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Roy Lichtenstein 1923–1997 • Plate number in bottom 2 corners
Back: ©2022 Estate of Roy Lichtenstein. All rights reserved. • ©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (483500) • Plate position diagram (4) • Promotional text

First Day Postmarks:The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.82″ x 1.49″ The pictorial postmark measures 2.54″ x 1.23″

Updated March 22^nd:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Artist Roy Lichtenstein’s Work To Appear on Five StampsWhat: The U.S. Postal Service will honor American artist Roy Lichtenstein with five commemorative Forever stamps featuring his colorful pop art.

The first-day-of-issue event for the stamps is free and open to the public. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #RoyLichtensteinStamps.

Who: Tom Marshall, U.S. Postal Service general counsel and executive vice president, will serve as dedicating official.

When: Monday, April 24, at 11:30 a.m. ET

Where:
Whitney Museum of American Art
Susan and John Hess Family Theater
99 Gansevoort Street
New York, NY 10014

RSVP: Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/roylichtenstein.

Background: Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997), the iconic American artist of the pop art movement, stunned the art world in 1961 with his large paintings starring cartoon characters and a range of consumer products, among other unlikely subjects. Some art connoisseurs found them outrageous, but others saw great meaning in them. Lichtenstein’s career quickly took off.

Pop art, which arose in the late 1950s and reached its height in the 1960s, looked to popular culture for its aesthetic. It often was seen as poking fun at consumerism.

With their trademark heavy black outlining, intense colors, dot patterns simulating four-color mechanical printing and machine-made quality, Lichtenstein’s paintings are instantly recognizable.

The many honors Lichtenstein received over the course of his career include induction into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1979 and the National Medal of Arts in 1995. His work is found in prestigious museums and galleries around the world.

VSC: The five works on the stamps, left to right, are

Standing Explosion (Red)
Modern Painting I
Still Life with Crystal Bowl (at the Whitney)
Still Life with Goldfish
Portrait of a Woman

Updated January 10^th:
These stamps will be issued Monday, April 24th, in New York City. Lichtenstein’s studio in Greenwich Village was donated (“gifted”) to the Whitney Museum of American Art and is being refurbished now. He worked there from 1988 to 1997.

Toni Morrison (US 2023)

Posted on October 24, 2022 by VSC

Announced by the USPS on October 24, 2022.

Author Toni Morrison (1931-2019) is honored in this stamp issuance. Her artfully crafted novels explored the diverse voices and multifaceted experiences of African Americans. Known for such books as “The Bluest Eye,” “Song of Solomon” and “Beloved,” Morrison was the rare author who achieved both bestseller status and critical success. In 1993, she made history as the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The stamp features a photograph of Morrison taken in 2000. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with photography by Deborah Feingold.

New information will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.

Updated April 3^rd:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5757.

Updated February 8^th:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service to Issue Toni Morrison Forever Stamp

What: The U.S. Postal Service will honor author Toni Morrison with a Forever stamp. Known for such books as “The Bluest Eye,” “Song of Solomon” and “Beloved,” Morrison was the rare author who achieved both bestseller status and critical success.

The stamp features a photo of Morrison taken in 2000.

The first-day-of-issue event for the Toni Morrison Forever stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #ToniMorrisonStamp.

Who: Pritha Mehra, USPS chief information officer and executive vice president

When: Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 11 a.m. EST

Where: Princeton University
38 Nassau St.
Princeton, NJ 08544

RSVP: For additional information about the ceremony location and parking on campus, dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at:
usps.com/tonimorrison

Background: Eager to write the sort of novels she had always wanted to find on bookshelves, Toni Morrison (1931-2019) explored the diverse voices and multifaceted experiences of African Americans.

Morrison published her first novel, “The Bluest Eye,” in 1970. An important inquiry into the life of an 11-year-old African American girl struggling with the internalization of negative racial stereotypes, the book remains a canonical novel about society’s neglect and mistreatment of African American girls.

Morrison did not shy away from difficult subjects. Her 1977 national bestseller, “Song of Solomon,” examined the many ways that the African American search for identity, both individually and collectively, is complicated by the legacy of slavery. In 1987, Morrison won the Pulitzer Prize for “Beloved,” a harrowing rumination on trauma and the lingering, even haunting nature of the past. “Beloved” firmly secured Morrison’s reputation as a great American writer and made her the rare author to achieve both bestseller status and critical success.

In 1989, Morrison became the Robert F. Goheen Professor in the Humanities at Princeton University. In 1993, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, becoming the first African American woman to receive the distinction.

In later novels, Morrison further explored wide-ranging questions about the effects of social change on families and communities, skin-color prejudice among African Americans, and the lingering impact of violence and abuse. As she continued to experiment with language and push the possibilities of narrative, she never wavered from her purpose: bringing attention to important stories that had too long gone untold.

Art director Ethel Kessler designed this stamp with a photograph by Deborah Feingold.

The Toni Morrison stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp. It will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Updated January 29^th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.48″x1.05″ The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.56″x1.06″

Updated January 28^th:
Princeton University “will explore Toni Morrison’s creative process with an abundance of exhibitions and events” beginning February 22^nd and running through the spring. Details are here. The stamp issuance is mentioned, without details.

From the Postal Bulletin:
On March 7, 2023, in Princeton, NJ, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Toni Morrison stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 483100). This stamp will go on sale nation-wide March 7, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This stamp celebrates Toni Morrison (1931–2019), whose artfully crafted novels explored the diverse voices and multi-faceted experiences of African Americans. Known for such books as The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, and Beloved, Morrison was the rare author who achieved both bestseller status and critical success. In 1993, she made history as the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. The stamp features a photograph of Morrison taken in 2000. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with photography by Deborah Feingold.

Item 483100, Pane of 20 Stamps. No automatic distribution

FDOI – Toni Morrison Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Toni Morrison Stamp
Item Number: 483100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 7, 2023, Princeton, NJ, 08540
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Existing Photo: Deborah Feingold
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 30,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Square
Image Area (w x h): 1.085 x 1.085 in / 27.559 x 27.559 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.225 x 1.225 in / 31.115 x 31.115 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.90 x 7.12 in / 149.86 x 180.848 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 11.80 x 21.36 in / 299.72 x 542.544 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners of pane
Back: ©2022 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (483100) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated January 10^th:
This stamp will be issued March 7 in Princeton, NJ. According to Wikipedia, “from 1989 until her retirement in 2006, Morrison held the Robert F. Goheen Chair in the Humanities at Princeton University.”